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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22789444">The Oil That is Dripping</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinqo/pseuds/Cinqo'>Cinqo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steam Powered Giraffe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Brotherly Love, For a friend kinda, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I headcanon Rabbit is the eldest, Light Angst, Male!Rabbit, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Other, Rabbit was 'built' first but he stayed a head and frame for a while, The Spine and Rabbit are siblings, The Spine was just finished first, based off a drawing I did, this is platonic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:28:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>916</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22789444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinqo/pseuds/Cinqo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He had seen it before, a few times, had a semblance of an idea of what it was, subdued the surprise he accumulated every time for the sake of the kindred automaton. It was something he had observed in the humans around them, something he at first had no idea robots like themselves were capable of.</p><p>Never had he seen such a tumultuous swirl of pain and, grief and, confusion. And so much more even he couldn't pinpoint. He'd never seen them stare at him in such an unwaveringly large way. He'd never seen them so stained with tar-like tears like this.</p><p>The Spine was the one Rabbit always turned to.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>The Spine &amp; Rabbit (Steam Powered Giraffe)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Oil That is Dripping</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title is a reference to Brass Goggles by Steam Powered Giraffe.</p><p>This is 2¢ Show era Rabbit and previous, and is thus male and uses he/him pronouns. if that makes you uncomfortable I apologize. I absolutely love and support Bunny and her transition in and out of character, so no harm was intended. If you really squint there's some very minor Spabbit, but they are 'siblings' in this fanfic if that squicks you. There's no huge emphasis on them being related in terms of the intimacy aspect, and it's intended platonically.</p><p>For a friend,,, kinda.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had seen it before, a few times, had a semblance of an idea of what it was, subdued the surprise he accumulated every time for the sake of the kindred automaton. It was something he had observed in the humans around them, something he at first had <em>no</em> idea robots like themselves were capable of, something that had baffled and picked at him for far too long when he first came across it. </p><p>Something he wouldn't let do the same for Rabbit, twitching and leaking before him.</p><p>He'd seen Rabbit's eyes a thousand times, the emotions in them, as different as they were from that of mortal man, but never had he seen such a tumultuous swirl of pain and, grief and, confusion. And so much more even <em>he</em> couldn't pinpoint. He'd never seen them stare at him in such an unwaveringly large way. He'd never seen them so stained with tar-like tears.</p><p>The copper robot's jaw quivers mechanically, bolts loosening with the repetitive movement. It was clear there were words to be said, but that he couldn't will his voice box to produce them. It was hard to say whether he was choked up on the emotions, or quite literally so, losing functions of his body.</p><p>With a soft, wispy sigh of steam The Spine cupped Rabbit's cheeks between smooth, plated palms, Half-assedly tightening the bolts back in with caresses of his thumbs. He'd had far more practice soothing Rabbit than he would've liked, but likewise was thankful having the skill efficiently under his belt. His brother was, to put it bluntly, a mess, a mess that had been thoroughly battered far too many times and scarred quite literally down to his core. A mess that had beheld horrors The Spine questioned he was built to handle, metaphorically speaking. Were it not for the energy level he boasted, one might look at him like an archaic machine on its last legs. With how often he broke down, sometimes he really was.</p><p>"Is... this.. <em>crying?</em>" Rabbit's voice finally croaked, a sound more akin to somber bewilderment than the choked and gross thickness carried by a human tone, as heavy streams of oil rolled over tarnished cheeks and dripped from his chin. It wasn't uncommon for Rabbit to come to him with such deep questions– in fact, The Spine was the one he always turned to. After Walter I made it clear enough times he had no interest in satisfying Rabbit's inquiries, the copper bot turned to the next smartest person he knew, and the next closest: The Spine. And The Spine, in turn, would provide answers to the best of his ability, or at the very least try to ease the older automaton into accepting that some questions just can't be answered. He was always careful about it, always careful with <em>him,</em> and he'd once again be careful now, letting out a quiet hiss of steam that circled around their heads in a translucent cloud, wiping away inky tears with zero regard for the consequences it held for his shirt-sleeve. Rabbit once again spoke, voice wavering and words locking and shifting in pitch. "Can we-we-we do that? Can we... cry..?"</p><p>The Spine breathed an imaginary breath, a punctuated pause. "It would seem that we can, Rabbit." He offered coolly, in an attempt to leave no further question for the copper bot, to ease his mind. If there was even a speck left it would grow and eat him up all over again, it didn't end well. Rabbit nodded slowly, rigidly, like his neck was struggling to keep up with his head. Even if that answer was a step in the right direction, that's all it was– a step. A step leading to an even rougher path, a more difficult dance The Spine would have to do.  </p><p>"<em>Why</em>..?" His voice was airy but loud, the volume of one who seemingly can't hear their own voice to gauge it. Of course, this wasn't the case, it was clear by the lack of motion in his eyes that he was sinking into his thoughts as this new question arose. A small frown graces The Spine's face. This was far from ideal, but he had handled these situations far too many times, he knew what things to try by now, and whether or not to change routine.</p><p>So it wasn't the first time he's done this when he gently presses his lips to Rabbit's head to pull him back into the moment, to put him at ease if only momentary, to make sure he was actually there to hear his words and not off in the terrifying chaos of Rabbit-land. He waits for a sure response, one that comes in a subtle tilt forward of the older bot's head and the lids of his eyes falling over the previously disconcerted orbs. The slow and gentle release of steam billowing from Rabbit's vents is satisfactory to The Spine, as he pulls away, steadies his hands against the other's cheeks, and presses another quick kiss to his oxidized forehead, leaving behind the faint oily footprint of metallic lips upon it. Rabbit seems to steady, eyes drifting back up to his brother automaton with a look much more soothed, a swirling sea much more calmed. </p><p>"I don't know," The Spine murmurs regretfully, before changing tune, breaking his eyes from Rabbit. "But I think I've come realize our feelings are just as real as any," </p><p><br/>
"Maybe,, <em>that's</em> why."</p><p><br/>
<em>"..It's gonna be okay, Rabbit."</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Finally wrote something other than La Squadra!! Some gremlin friends dragged me into the wonderful world of Steam Powered Giraffe. Written while vibing to Out in The Rain and Electricity is In My Soul. Sorry if it feels short.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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